Hiya, barrebabes!
I hope this finds you all well. I for one am a little bit more rested, slightly less covered in breastmilk, and am super pumped to be getting back to teaching and working out with you! Today I have a few words about honoring where we are/being a work in progress, and of course, some photos of my very handsome and charming Mr. Baby.
The myth of bouncing back
As a fitness professional and new mama, I'm acutely aware of the social pressure to "lose the baby weight" and "get my body back." The hype around lightning-fast celebrity mama transformations and the blessed few of us who really do go right back to normal before the baby can even smile don't make it any easier to be kind to one's body and just be where we are. But if I've learned anything about my mama body so far, it's that it's freaking amazing, changes quickly, and that a little patience & trust is key. Trying to do too much too fast is not only often fruitless and frustrating, it can even harm our efforts or exacerbate common post-baby troubles like diastasis recti or pelvic floor dysfunction. The things that troubled me just 8 weeks ago are already distant memories, and all it really took was rest, mindful movement (which I love anyway), and a little trust in my body to heal itself. Every time we focus on mind-body connection, whether it's in barre class, yoga, meditation, dance, Pilates, surfing - whatever - we practice for times like this when we need to be able to tune in and trust. It pays off - by the end of Diego's first 8 weeks, I could plank again and make it through an hour workout, and by 12 weeks, I'm back in (most of) my old clothes and can jump up and down without fear of something breaking.
On top of the pitfalls of trying to rush the healing process, being hyper focused on "bouncing back" focuses us on the past and takes us out of the moment, and these moments of early motherhood are some I really don't want to miss. I'm amazed by Mr. Baby and how much he learns and changes constantly, and I'm also amazed by my body, which I kind of can't believe grew the little guy, brought him into the world, and now feeds him and keeps him alive. I like the changes, too - the residual softness from pregnancy and breastfeeding feels kind of sexy, and I dig having wider (and more flexible) hips. Lord knows all the picking up of my now 12 pound kettlebell of cuteness is making me stronger than ever, and I'm able to feel ab exercises like whoa. I definitely don't feel resigned to a life of unflattering jeans and Spanx, and I'm cool with the process, even if I'm not in the bikini-clad "wow how did she get her body back so fast?" camp.
I believe it's the same for not-mamas. Have goals, for sure, but try to enjoy the process of achieving them as well as the goal itself. Be where you are today, whether that means 10 extra reps or 10 less, crop top or muumuu, kale smoothies or ice cream. In the meantime, I'm not interested in "bouncing back." I'd rather move forward, into the as-yet undiscovered realms of physical awesomeness that await us :)
And now... peep the handsome devil himself, Mr. Baby AKA Diego Zuma AKA Squirmsburg AKA Hun Bun Poo Bear...
Keep pulsing,
Annie
